Randy Groomes

Randy Groomes

  • Director, Office of Diversity Relations
353B Sanford and Barbara Orkin Hall

Biography

Randy Groomes serves as the Director of Diversity Relations at the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia. In this role, Mr. Groomes is responsible for transforming the College’s efforts to recruit diverse faculty, staff and students. Experienced in both corporate and educational leadership, Mr. Groomes is known for developing innovative programs that leverage diversity at the intersection between interpersonal relations and the hard core skillsets of business. Thousands of students have trained in the Workforce Diversity Series that helps train the next generation of business leaders in international business practices and team effectiveness since he launched it in 2009. Prior to accepting a position at UGA, he managed multi-state book of business for a national insurance carrier and regional responsibilities for the diversity marketing efforts within the organization. While at the company, he also served on corporate advisory board for the CEO and helped to develop their national Corporate Diversity Plan which lifted the company into the top 10 companies on DiversityInc’s Top 50 list.

Mr. Groomes has been actively involved in community and business organizations including Toastmasters, Rotary Club and the Commerce Club in Atlanta. He has served on the Board of Advisors for the United Way, and he was the president of the Fulton Parks Foundation and the Atlanta Association of Insurance Professionals. He was appointed by a previous Georgia Insurance Commissioner to serve on a special advisory task force on insurance matters and led a successful statewide initiative to increase diversity among independent insurance agents.

Former Georgia Governor, Sonny Purdue, appointed Mr. Groomes an honorary Lt. Colonel in the Georgia Army and Navy because of his outstanding service to the state. He was listed among the Outstanding Young Americans and is a graduate of the Coverdell Leadership Institute which was founded by the late Senator Paul Coverdell to train future leaders for government and public service. In 2004, Mr. Groomes was selected as a Regional Finalist for the White House Fellows Program. He regularly speaks on leadership, diversity and innovation and was a keynote speaker at the Global Economic Leaders Summit 2011 in Changchun, China.

Education

  • MBA, Strategy, University of Georgia, 2011
  • BBA, Risk Management & Insurance, University of Georgia, 1992

Awards, Honors, and Recognition

  • Multicultural Leadership Award, National Diversity Council, 2012